3 great Golf Holes (for you).

FixdePitchmark · 14-01-2021 2:08am #1

No golf on at the moment - so said I'd post something to make people think about a few courses and holes.

I'd say I could post a few times - and would be all different courses and holes.

But name 3 holes that made an impact on you - holes you love, ones you have great memories or moments on. Ones you will go back to.

At the end of the thread we will put together a course from it.
For me.

1) Hole 13 The Burrows Enniscrone (Par 4 - 342)

As a teen - had seen nothing like it. I did not know Links golf was going to be my game - but loved the craziness of it , the blind element - just the idea you have to imagine the flight and hole. It is more imagination than pure perfect golf design. As for the views and setting. It is some spot.

2) Druids Glen 13th (Par 4 - 407 Yards)

I know the 12th is much talked about - and in itself, could and will make this instead. But I think that the precursor even plays a part in this hole. I just love a tee shot from a height - and it is such a hard hole. The natural delta is stunning - and after all these years . I'm not sure a drive is the shot at all. But you just want to try hit that fade - that you tend to double cross into the left trees. What a hole.

3) Corballis 3rd Hole (Par 4 - 456 yards)

I've been anything from 250 yards out to less than 50 yards out on this hole - sums up links golf. I've had anything from a score of 3 to a (not joking, 10) on it.
I genuinely have seen well over 200 balls lost on the hole - and found well over 50

. but the thing I love about the hole is it is a drive or no par - but you can hit a draw or a fade. But both need to be big.

It is interesting that all the holes I picked are blind / doglegs. But I'll post a few more batches of 3 holes as the thread goes on.

Anyway - see how the thread goes - and see can we at least imagine golf courses , when we can not be on them. As Frank McCourt eluded to - we may have nothing at the moment - but "your mind is a palace"

thewobbler · 14-01-2021 9:46am

I could have just done a review of Royal Portrush here. But I’ll go for a few lesser acclaimed holes instead.

Lough Erne 7th (par 4): I enjoy a well-framed hole, find short par 4s tremendous fun, and I adore any hole that invites you to bite off as much as you think you can chew from the tee. Set at an angle into Lough Erne, begun with a tee shot from on high, and with most of the peril visual rather than real, this hole delivers everything I enjoy, and in spades.

Seapoint 17th (par 3): One of those holes that does your heart good every time you visit. Its dune-to-dune recipe is far from unique, but the setting - tucked tight alongside Baltray Strand - delivers both an awe factor and a bountiful dose of links wind. On a still day it’s a straightforward, shortish par 3; protected in part by a lengthy, two tier green. As the wind picks up, the dunes right and left seem to swallow up the green, and you will find yourself looking to slide one low through the narrowest of entries provided.

Strandhill 6th (par 4): I’ve only played this course once, very hungover, and in most erratic of four-seasons-in-one-day weather. A lack of forewarning played a part. That the sun re-emerged like dawn as we crossed the dogleg on this medium-length par 4 no doubt helped. But the visual impression was framed for life. I’ve never stood as in awe of a second shot as I did that day on the 6th in Strandhill.

blue note · 14-01-2021 10:20am

An interesting question. I'm going to pick 3 holes from the two courses I've been a member of.

4th hole in Tramore, before the upgrades (and more importantly before we all started hitting it as far as we do). When I started golf, the hole required two big hits to reach the green. From the tee you were hitting uphill to a fairway. A slice could leave you in a treed valley where any score was possible. There was lots of room left, but the further left you go the longer your approach. For your second you were hitting back over the valley to a green where you could run back down into a stream in front of the green. What I liked about it was that you really had to take on the tee shot. If you pulled out a 5 iron from your bag you probably wouldn't have made it up to the fairway and would have had an awful second shot. It was a tough hole and you had to take it on at least from the tee. The challenge of the hole made your pars on it really count. They changed it because what was a driver 3 iron for a lot of members became a fairly straightforward rescue, 7 iron or thereabouts.

4th hole in Corballis. Short par 3, about 100m from the blues, downwind. Just a flick of a wedge really. I think it's index 17. It's one of the easiest holes to par / birdie, but also an easy one to scratch! The fact that it's index 17 means that most don't have a shot there, so playing short isn't really an option, even though it's the only no risk option. Go right and your in a brutal bunker, left and you've an horrific run off, long can be a treacherous shot back. Even though it's not the most difficult of shots, it's still a dangerous one. And what I like about the hole (similar to the previous one I mentioned) is that you have to take it on. Even though you should be coming away with a par on it, you're always very relieved to do so.

18th in Tramore. Par 5 finishing hole and one of my favourite finishing holes. And unlike my other two picks, I like this one because it's a genuine risk/reward hole. Not one where the chance of getting a birdie is very low but the chance of a scratch is very high. It's a downwind par 5 and not terribly long. And all the danger is from the tee. OOB right and trees left. But if you get your drive right, the hole turns into a long par 4. It all depends on what score you have on the 18th tee and what you think you'll need to have a chance of winning. One of my highlights on the hole was a fourball matchplay where all 4 people played out of our skins (handicaps 8-16). It was all square on 18 so we all decided to go for the green in two. 3 of the 4 of us came out with birdies.

Golfhead65 · 14-01-2021 8:46pm

2nd Hole in Blessington Lakes 445 yds par 4..10th Hole Ballyliffin old course 340 yds dogleg right but about 300 yds as crow flies over the dunes and 4th hole (I think it is) in Moate Par 3 of only 120 yds, its green or bust, one of the best par 3s around

willabur · 15-01-2021 12:10pm

brilliant idea for a thread

1: 7th hole in Corballis
I think this is a brilliant short (shock horror) par 4. From the members tee box it is a super intimidating tee shot. There is a barber pole as an aim point which I think can land you into trouble if you hit the wrong club or go even slightly right of it. The approach shot assuming you have found the fairway is pure drama. The green is build into the side of a dune so the ball has to be carried all the way there which when the wind is blowing makes for a shapely shapely shot. The green is small with a significant enough shelf to make it a tricky enough 2 putt, also so you need to be on your number

2: 6th at Ballybunion
This is the hole that takes you away from the tuck shop and down to the ocean. For me it is where Ballybunion comes into its own. Very easy to go OB down the right but you have to be on the right hand side of the fairway in order to have any chance with the turtle back green. If you are coming at it side on then expect to make bogey at best and even then coming in from the right leaves you threading the eye of a needle to find the putting green.

3: 5th at Carne - Kilmore course
Genius hole which completely perplexed me when I played it in the summer for the first time and on my own. Fell for the trap of going thru the dunes rather than over the side of biggest dune you could think of. I think I shot an 8, could have been a 9 but it was so much fun to play. Really bloody cool that one of the architects (if not the man himself) frequents these boards

blue note · 15-01-2021 1:26pm

willabur wrote: »

brilliant idea for a thread

1: 7th hole in Corballis
I think this is a brilliant short (shock horror) par 4. From the members tee box it is a super intimidating tee shot. There is a barber pole as an aim point which I think can land you into trouble if you hit the wrong club or go even slightly right of it. The approach shot assuming you have found the fairway is pure drama. The green is build into the side of a dune so the ball has to be carried all the way there which when the wind is blowing makes for a shapely shapely shot. The green is small with a significant enough shelf to make it a tricky enough 2 putt, also so you need to be on your number

It's a great hole from the back tees. From the front tee I think the tee shot is too easy. You're talking 140m to a large landing area. But from the back tees it's probably about 170/180m to where you want to land. And with it often having a cross wind that is particularly penal to people who play a fade (slice), that landing area becomes a lot smaller. The second shot is fraught with danger too - basically you can't be short, long, left or right. And with a big wind that is not easy.

FixdePitchmark · 15-01-2021 6:21pm

I think thread could do with photos .

I'll try

Luckycharm · 15-01-2021 6:47pm

2nd Hole at Portsalan best hole I have ever played, hit over the beach how brave/stupid are you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Pgim-gBaY

Dell hole at Lahinch 5th I think par 3 over the mound white rock on mound telling you where hole is

One of the holes in the back 9 Enniscrone dogleg right huge valley in front of the green guessing around 11/12

Squeaksoutloud · 15-01-2021 6:52pm

Love Druids Glen 13th bit it's gotta be more than 407 yds?!

FixdePitchmark · 15-01-2021 8:06pm

Squeaksoutloud wrote: »

Love Druids Glen 13th bit it's gotta be more than 407 yds?!

Yes looked up. Looks longer. More 440 ?

But I will add . You never play right tee .

About 4 tee boxes there.

CSWS101 · 15-01-2021 8:36pm

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Yes looked up. Looks longer. More 440 ?

But I will add . You never play right tee .

About 4 tee boxes there.

It's one of the holes where playing off the back tees will actually help you I find, more landing area for the driver. Toughest hole I've played with the most aesthetically pleasing tee shot you'll see

Dero123 · 15-01-2021 11:30pm

13th Mount Juliet beautiful hole, second shot downhill over the water
17th Glasson I think the last par 3
17th Tulfarris is a tricky hole tighter you go to the left side of fairway makes the second shot shorter

Dero123 · 15-01-2021 11:32pm

CSWS101 wrote: »

It's one of the holes where playing off the back tees will actually help you I find, more landing area for the driver. Toughest hole I've played with the most aesthetically pleasing tee shot you'll see

You right last time I played it I walked to the back of the tee and it’s much easier

FixdePitchmark · 16-01-2021 1:26am

Yes if you tend to draw or go left . A driver is just too much club . As you end up in trouble on left.

Unbelievable hole. Hardly a better tee shot in the county.

willabur · 16-01-2021 7:36pm

blue note wrote: »

It's a great hole from the back tees. From the front tee I think the tee shot is too easy. You're talking 140m to a large landing area. But from the back tees it's probably about 170/180m to where you want to land. And with it often having a cross wind that is particularly penal to people who play a fade (slice), that landing area becomes a lot smaller. The second shot is fraught with danger too - basically you can't be short, long, left or right. And with a big wind that is not easy.

True, the back tees make it a great hole that requires finesse and control more than any kind of power

DuckSlice · 17-01-2021 3:32pm

willabur wrote: »

3: 5th at Carne - Kilmore course
Genius hole which completely perplexed me when I played it in the summer for the first time and on my own. Fell for the trap of going thru the dunes rather than over the side of biggest dune you could think of. I think I shot an 8, could have been a 9 but it was so much fun to play. Really bloody cool that one of the architects (if not the man himself) frequents these boards

What a hole that is! So tough! I hate it and love it. It ruined a perfect start to a round for me on the Wild Atlantic dunes course this year. Had started with 7 pars and came to this fecker! Was very happy with a 7 on it though! Class hole!

carq · 20-01-2021 10:45am

Maybe not a great hole but a bewildering one

Athlone golf Club - 13th

Blind dog leg tee shot
steep banks either side and a steep down hill to the green

I think I have lost my tee shot 70% of times on this hole

3 great Golf Holes (for you).

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